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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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What You Don't Know about Leadership, But Probably Should summary
Jeffrey A. Kottler
Applications to Daily Life
14 mins
Brief summary
What You Don't Know about Leadership by Jeffrey A. Kottler is a guide to effective leadership that challenges conventional wisdom and offers new insights and strategies for aspiring leaders.
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What You Don't Know about Leadership, But Probably Should
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Good leaders understand their own ignorance and respect their subordinates’ expertise.
If you’ve been working long enough, it’s only a matter of time before you end up with a bad boss. But have you ever asked yourself what it is that makes some people so bad at leading effectively?
One trait common to bad bosses is that they believe they know everything. Great leaders, in contrast, know that, especially in today’s chaotic, fast-changing environment, it’s impossible to know it all.
Michael Skelly is an experienced leader, responsible for launching several successful companies focused on renewable energy. While earning his MBA at an Ivy League school, Skelly realized that, though his classmates were bright, they were often too scared to ask questions, since asking would reveal a lack of knowledge.
At the same time, Skelly found that these classmates all respected his willingness to speak up and admit his ignorance. Skelly now incorporates this refreshing honesty into all his business dealings, and when asked about his greatest strength as a leader, he points to his ability to ask questions and admit when he doesn’t understand something.
Skelly’s example also shows that being a humble leader is important, especially today, when more organizations are moving toward democratic and decentralized leadership structures.
Universities and hospitals, as well as pharmaceutical and technology companies, are all favoring participatory leadership, which brings employees from every level into the decision-making process. Rather than adhering to the traditional model of having everyone obey orders passed down from on high, these organizations are implementing more democratic and collaborative structures.
Appropriately enough, the author has found that it’s within these democratically-run organizations that know-it-all leaders are most resented.
Doctors, professors, software engineers and scientists lodge the most complaints about bosses who stick their noses in their work. So a good leader isn’t one who barks orders or thinks they have all the right answers. A good boss knows when to stand back and trust that their staff has what it takes to make decisions and do the job they’ve been hired to do.
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What is What You Don't Know about Leadership, But Probably Should about?
What You Don’t Know about Leadership, But Probably Should (2018) takes the latest research and psychological theories from the field of leadership science and explains how individuals can apply them to their daily work life. Using examples from famous leaders of all kinds, the author gives tips on how any leader can more effectively manage a team during times of conflict and stress.
Best quote from What You Don't Know about Leadership, But Probably Should
The average adult now checks his or her phone on average every six minutes.
—Jeffrey A. Kottler
Who should read What You Don't Know about Leadership, But Probably Should?
- People interested in workplace psychology
- Anyone wishing to improve their leadership skills
- Students of business management
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